current affairs MCQ #8746

A climate scientist is briefing the Prime Minister's task force on glacier retreat rates. Pakistan's glaciers have been observed to be surging and retreating simultaneously in different areas. What is the primary driver of accelerated glacial melt threatening to increase GLOF frequency over the coming decades?

current affairs MCQ #8746

  1. Question 1

    Q1. A climate scientist is briefing the Prime Minister's task force on glacier retreat rates. Pakistan's glaciers have been observed to be surging and retreating simultaneously in different areas. What is the primary driver of accelerated glacial melt threatening to increase GLOF frequency over the coming decades?

    • A) Rising mean temperatures in South Asia driven by global warming causing net mass loss across most glaciers
    • B) Increased dust deposition darkening glacier surfaces reducing albedo
    • C) Expanding agriculture at high altitudes altering local water cycles
    • D) Reduced snowfall in winter months lowering glacier replenishment

    Answer: Rising mean temperatures in South Asia driven by global warming causing net mass loss across most glaciers

    Explanation: Rising mean temperatures driven by anthropogenic global warming are the primary cause of accelerated glacial melt in the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalayan region, increasing the frequency and magnitude of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs). Pakistan hosts approximately 7,200 glaciers and over 3,000 glacial lakes, making it among the most GLOF-vulnerable countries in the world.